Vehicle door latch mechanism



1954 A. J. D! SALVO ETAL 3,121,579

VEHICLE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ANTHON) J. 0 15/1410 MAURICE M. WES TERDA L ,5

IN VEN TORS A. J. Dl SALVO ETAL 3,121,579

VEHICLE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Feb. 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept.13, 1961 AN THON) J DIS/1L V0 MAUR/CE M. WESTERDALE BY Ma ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent M 3,121,579 VEHECLE DOQR LATCH MECHANISM Anthony J.Di Salvo, Allen Park, and Maurice M. Westerdale, lnkster, Mich.,assignors to Ford Motor Company, Dearhorn, Mich, a corporation ofDelaware Filed Sept. 13, 1951, Ser. No. 137,765 4 Claims. ((31. 292F 48)This invention relates to latch mechanisms for swinging doors,especially the doors of automobile or other vehicle bodies.

Most door latch mechanisms currently in use on passenger motor vehiclescomprise a rotatable or pivotable latch device adapted to engage astriker or keeper device mounted on a vehicle door framing structure, adetent means releasably engaged with the latch device to hold the latterin door latched position, an actuating or release lever operativelyassociated with the detent means for disengaging the same from the latchdevice, and manually operable means accessible from the outside andinside of the vehicle door operative to cause disengagement of thedetent means. In almost alllatch mechanisms of this general class, themanually operable means operative from the outside of the door acts onthe detent means through the actuating or release lever. The manuallyoperable means operative from the inside of the door may be constructedand arranged to act directly on the detent means or through theactuating or release lever, depending on whether or not it is desired tohave a latch mechanism which cannot be rendered inoperative from theinside of the vehicle. Most vehicles are provided with at least one doorwhich can always be opened from the inside of the passenger compartmenteven if the latch mechnism is conditioned so that the door cannot beopened from the outside.

Latch mechanisms may be categorized by the manner in which the manuallyoperable means is rendered inoperative to disengage the detent meansfrom the latch device to place the latch mechanism in locked condition.This may be done by the use of a blocking means selectively positionableto block movement of the detent means actuating or release lever. Thismay also be done by use of a disconnection means interposed in the trainof members extending from the manually operable means to the detentmeans.

Reference may be made to US. Patent No. 2,987,336, issued June 6, 1961,for a latch mechanism exemplifying the type in which a blocking means isused to render the manually operable means inoperative to disengage thedetent means from the latch device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch mechanismcharacterized by many of the features of the latch mechanism disclosedin the above-mentioned patent and which is further characterized by theinclusion of features by which the means manually operable from theoutside of the door, such as the handle, push button or like operatedmeans, may be operatively disconnected from the detent actuator orrelease lever.

More specifically, in the latch mechanism embodying the presentinvention, the train of parts or members operatively associating thehandle, push button or the like to the detent means includes a part ormember directly coupled to the detent means but being shiftable thereonfrom a detent actuating to a detent non-actuating position. This part ormember is shiftable by a locking lever operable from either the outsideor the inside, or both, of the door. A latch mechanism so constructed issaid to have a free wheeling handle, push button or the like asdistinguished from a blocked type. In other words, the handle, pushbutton or the like is always responsive to finger pressure regardless ofwhether or not the latch mechanism is in locked or unlocked con-3,121,579 Patented Feb. 18, 1964 dition, even through movement of thehandle, push button or the like in locked condition of the latchmechanism is not effective to cause disengagement of the detent meansfrom the latch device.

Probably the major advantage to be derived from socalled free wheelingtype latch mechanisms is that the latch mechanism parts, particularlythose in the train of elements between the outside operator and thedetent means, may be made of much lighter gauge metal than the partsused in a blocked type lock. The reason is that in a blocked type lock,the parts must be made strong enough to withstand any force which mightbe exerted on the outside operator by means of a pry bar, hammer orother device which may be used when it is attempted to break or make aforceful entry through the door when the door is in locked condition. Itwill be readily apparent that in a latch mechanism where part of thetrain of elements is disconnected, any force exerted on the handle, pushbutton or the like by an implement of any kind is ineffective to distortor spring the latch mechanism parts to a degree sufficient to causedisengagement of the detent [from the latch device so as to permit thedoor to be opened. This, of course, applies to any impact the handle,push button or the like might sustain in a collision or upset of thevehicle. The use of light gauge metal results in a cost saving in themanufacture of the latch mechanism. Less metal is used and the life ofthe die for stamping the parts is much longer with light gauge metal.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will bemade more apparent as this description proceeds, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the latch mechanism as it appears fromthe inside of the vehicle door;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in part similar to FIG. 1 illustratingparts of the latch mechanism in an operative position ditferent fromthat shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view in part sectional taken from the rightside of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 i an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

In the drawings there is illustrated, by Way of example, a preferredembodiment of the present invention as applied to the doors and doorframe structures of an automobile body. Adapted to be secured as bymeans of screws (not shown), to the inner side of the free edge wall ofa vehicle door is a case plate 11 having a flange 12 which is adapted.to be positioned along the inner panel of the door. The present latchmechanism has a pair of pivoted latch devices comprising jaw elements 13(see FIG. 3) positioned at the outer face of the case plate 11. As bestseen in FIG. 3, each jaw element 13 is provided with an integral stud orpivot shaft 14 having a reduced bearing portion 16 extending through anaperture in the case plate, the aperture having a flanged edge '17providing bearing support for the bearing portion 16. -In FIG. 3, awasher 18 is shown interposed between the case plate 11 and the mainbody portion of the stud shaft 14. The inner reduced end or hearingportion 16 of the stud shaft i provided with longitudinally extendingflats 19 thereon. Fitted over the reduced end or hearing portion 16 andkeyed thereto by the flats 19 are a pair of control plates 21 and 22,respectively. From the foregoing, it is apparent that each jaw element13 is rigidly coupled to a control plate 21 and 22, respectively, beingconcentric therewith on a stud shaft 14. As defined herein, each latchdevice thus comprises a jaw element 13, a stud shaft or pivot 14 and arespective control plate 21 and 22.

Each jaw element 13 is a substantially triangular plate member havingits pivot axis located near the apex end. The base or side 23 oppositethe apex end is outward-1y r 3 rounded and is provided in the centerthereof with a semicircular recess or enlarged notch 24.

Each control plate is a gear sector having teeth 26, the teeth beingintermeshed to thereby couple the control plates together for correlatedmovement. Thus, both jaw elements 1.3 are controlled for movement inunison in counterdirections of swinging movement toward and from eachother into and out of door latched condition. A spiral spring 27 isdisposed substantially coaxially or concentric with and adjacent theinner face of the control plate 21. The spring 27 has its inner end 23operatively connected to the stud shaft 14 carrying the control plate21, the stud shaft having a diagonal slot or kerf 29 receiving thespring end. The outer or free end 31 of the spring 27 is looped over theedge of a notch 32 in the case plate flange 12. The spring 27 isinstalled in a wound up or preloaded condition so that at all times ittends to rotate control plate 21, shaft 14 and jaw element 13 associatedtherewith in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. Since thecontrol plate 22 is coupled to the control plate 21 through the gearteeth 26, rotative force exerted by the spring 27 on the plate 21 istransmitted to the plate 22 so that it, at all times, is under arotative force tending to rotate it, shaft 14 and jaw element 13associated therewith in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1.

The control plate 22 is provided with two peripherally spaced abutmentsor ratchet teeth 53 and 34, respectively. Cooperable with the abutmentor ratchet toothed edge of the control plate 22 is a swinging detent,pawl or dog 35 pivotally mounted on a shoulder rivet 36 secured to thecase plate 11. It will be noted that the detent 35 extends in asubstantially horizontal direction across the case plate 11 and ispivoted intermediate its ends. At one side of the pivot axis, the rightside as viewed in FIG. 1, the detent is provided with an abutmentportion 37 extending in a substantially upward direction and cooperablewith the teeth or abutments 33 and 34 on the control plate 22. When thedetent abutment 37 is in engagement with the control plate abutment 33,the jaw elements 13 will be in a safety latched position. When theabutment 37 is in engagement with the latched control plate abutment 34,as shown in FIG. 1, the jaw elements 13 will be in final latchedposition, as will be more fully explained. To the right of its pivotaxis 56, the detent 35 is provided with an extension 38 and to the leftof its pivot axis it is provided with an enlarged stepped or embossedportion 3-9. The enlarged portion 39 of the detent has a substantiallyL-shaped slot 41 therein. The slot 41 has two sections, section 42extending radially of the pivot axis 36 and section 43 extendingupwardly from the inner end of the section 42 and circumferentiallyrelative to the pivot axis 36.

Extending through the slot 41, is a stepped cylindrical hearing orbushing member, generally designated 44. The bushing 44 is preferablymade of a low friction coefiicient material, such as one of the nylon"or Teflon plastics used for hearing or bushing devices. As best seen inFIG. 4, the bushing 44 has an enlarged head portion 45 at one endthereof and a smaller diameter cylindrical portion 46 which slidablyfits through the slot 41. On the end opposite the enlarged head portion45 of the bushing, the cylindrical portion 46 is encompassed by one end47 of a lever, generally designated 48. A washer 49' is interposedbetween the adjacent surfaces of the lever 48 and the detent portion 39.The lever end 47 is coupled to the bushing by a washer Sil snapped overshoulder 51. The bushing 44 has a longitudinally extending aperture 52therethrough. At the end of the bushing opposite its head end, theaperture 52 is intersected by a semicircular recess 53 having lipportions 54 creating a restricted entrance to the recess.

The recess 53 and the longitudinally extending hole 52 are adapted toreceive the L-shaped end 55 of a link or rod 56 connecting the bushing44 to a bell crank lever as viewed in the drawings.

57 pivotaily supported on a bracket 53 at the upper part of the vehicledoor (not shown). The bracket 53 may be in an integral part of a doorhandle assembly or otherwise mounted within the door. The lever 5'7 hasa depending flange portion 59* which lies in the path of the plunger orstem 61 which forms an extension of a conventional push button mountedin a door handle accessible from the outside of the vehicle door.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the bushing 44 is illustrated as being at theextreme outer end of the radially extending section 42 of the slot 41 inthe end 39 of the detent 35. Upon the door handle push button beingdepressed so that its stem 61 moves toward and engages the flange 59 onthe bell crank lever 57, the bell crank lever 57 will be swung in acounterclockwise direction raising the link 57 and also the bushing 44.But since the bushing 44 is held against upward movement relative to thedetent 35 by its relationship to the slot section 42, the movement ofthe link 56 is transmitted to the detent 35 causing the latter to beswung in a clockwise direction It will be readily apparent that thiswill cause the abutment 37 on the detent 35 to move out of the path ofthe abutments 34 and 53 on the latch control plate 22. This permits thespring 27 to urge the jaw elements toward unlatched condition andthereby permitting the vehicle door to be opened.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will :be noted that the bushing is shown atthe inner end of the section 42 of the slot 41 or in position to moveupwardly in the circumferential section 43 of the slot 41. Under thiscondition, upward movement of the link 56 through actuation of the bellcrank lever 57 remains effective to raise the bushing 44. The latter,however, moves freely relative to the detent 35 and the latter isthereby maintained in a relationship such that its abutment 37 blocksmovement of the control plate 22.

The position of the bushing 44 is controlled by the above-mentionedlever 48, which may hereinafter be referred to as the locking lever.This lever 48 is substantially L-shaped, the aforementioned end 47thereof being the upper end of a curved substantially verticallyupstanding leg 62 with the base leg 63 comprising a substantiallyhorizontal portion. The lever 48 is pivotally mounted intermediate theends of the base leg 63 on a pivot stud 64 secured to the case plate 11.The vertical leg 62' is embossed away from the plane of the case plate11 so that its upper end will overlie the end 39 of the detent 55. Thisleg 62. is provided with a curved slot 65 through which the bushing 44cylindrical portion 46 projects.

When the locking lever 48 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, thebushing 44 will be held by the lever arm 62 at the extreme outer end ofthe section 42 of the detent slot 41. The position of the bushing 44 inthe slot 65 is substantially intermediate the ends of the latter. As therod 56 is lifted upon actuation of the bell crank 57, the detent 35 willbe actuated as the bushing 44 travels up the slot 65. Thus, no motion ofthe bushing 44 is transmitted to the locking lever.

As the locking lever 48 is swung in a clockwise direction from its FIG.1 to its FIG. 2 position, it laterally shifts the bushing 44 inwardly toposition the latter at the base of the circumferentially extendingsection 43 of the detent slot 41. Now if the rod 56 is raised byactuation of the bell crank 57, the bushing 44 will idly travel up theoverlying portions of the slots 41 and 65 without causing movement ofeither the detent 35 or blocking lever 48. The latch mechanism may thenbe considered in locked or free wheeling condition which means that thedoor may not be unlatched by operation of the outside operator or pushbutton.

It will be noted that the detent 35 has a downwardly extending part 66which is adapted to abut a projection 67 of the locking lever. Thisabutting relationship serves two functions: First, it provides a stoplimiting the extent to which the locking lever may be swung in acounterclockwise direction. Further, when the latch control plate 22 isin its unlatched position, the surface 68 of the abutment 33 willoverlie the corner of the abutment 37 on the-detent. This prevents thelatter from moving into a fully latched position relative to the controlplate 22. As a result, the portion 66 of the detent 35 will bepositioned somewhat below its position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and willobstruct upward movement of the portion 67 of the locking lever 48. Thisprevents the latter from being swung so as to fully swing its arm 62 inan upward direction. The degree of movement is such that the bushing 44will not come out of the section 42 of the slot 41, and the latchmechanism can thus not be placed in latch locked or free wheelingcondition. The relationship of the parts is such that the latchmechanism can only be placed in latch locked or free wheel conditionwhen the door is closed and the jaw elements fully encompass the strikeror keeper device with which they coact to maintain the door in a latchedcondition.

The locking lever 48 is adapted to be swung from nonlocking positioninto locking position in a conventional manner either from the inside orthe outside of the vehicle door. For actuation from the inside of thedoor, the end of the locking lever 48 to the right of the pivot axis 64is provided with an aperture 69 therein to receive the end of a rod (notshown) provided with an access button (not shown) located on the innerside of the door panel in an accessible location. For actuation from theoutside of the door, the locking lever 48 is provided at the other sideof its pivot axis with an aperture 71 located in the leg 62. Thisaperture 71 is adapted to receive a rod or link (not shown) coupled to acrank arm of a conventional key operated mechanism accessible from theoutside of the vehicle door in a manner well-known in the art.

The locking lever 48 is yieldably held and urged toward its limits ofmovement by means of a snap-over or toggle spring 72 of suitablestrength attached at one end to the locking lever 48 and at its otherend to the case plate 11. As was stated above, the limit of movement ofthe locking lever 48 in a clockwise direction is controlled by theabutment portion 66 of the detent 35. The movement of the locking leverin a counterclockwise direction is controlled by the position of thebearing 44 in the end portion of the slot section 42, the toggle springthus being effective to ensure that the bushing 44 is urged fully to theleft of the end section 42 of the slot as viewed in FIG. 1.

The present latch mechanism is preferably operated from the inside ofthe door through the medium of a remote control mechanism comprising alongitudinally shiftable drag link 73 which is pivotally connected tothe lower end 74 of a bell crank lever 75 (see FIG. 3). The bell cranklever 75 is pivoted on the shank of a shoulder rivet 76 secured to thecase plate flange 12. The bell crank lever 75 is provided with anangularly upwardly extending arm 77 adapted to overlie the extension 38on the end of the detent means 35. Upon the bell crank lever being swungin a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, it will engage theextension end 38 of the detent 35 causing the latter to be swung in aclockwise direction out of engagement with the ratchet teeth abutments33 and 34. It should be noted that actuation of the detent 35 throughthe remote control bell crank lever 75 is independent of actuation bythe outer manually operable means. Thus, even if the outside operator isrendered inoperative to disengage the detent from the latch device, thedetent can always be disengaged from the latch device from the inside ofthe vehicle through actuation of the remote control mechanism.

The detent 35 is urged into latching engagement with the ratchet teethabutments 33 and 34 by a coil spring 78 having its inner end held in akerf or slot 79 in the pivot stud 36 mounting the detent 35 on the caseplate 11. The spring 78 is provided with a horizontally extending freeend portion 81 which overlies an edge of the step or embossment 39 inthe detent. The free end portion 81 of the spring extends further so asto also overlie the path of upward movement of the bushing 44. Thepurpose of this is to ensure that the bushing 44 will not befrictionally caught in the upper end of the section 43 of the slot 41,but will always be urged toward the lower end of the section 43 of theslot. Thus, when the link 56 is raised with the bushing 44 in the freewheeling position, and the link is then released upon release of thepush button extension 61 from bearing engagement with the flange 59 onthe bell crank 57, the bushing will be restored to the intermediateposition shown in FIG. 1 where it is in position to be urged toward thesection 42 of the slot 41 upon restoration of the locking lever tononlocking position.

The manner in which the jaw elements 13 are adapted to coact with astriker or keeper device, generally desig nated 82, as seen in FIG. 3,is fully described in the above-mentioned US. Patent 2,987,336.Accordingly, reference is made to that patent for these details.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to theexact construction shown and described, but that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support plate fordisposition at a free edge wall of the door, pivoted latch device meansmounted on said support plate, detent means pivotally mounted on saidsupport plate and engageable with said latch device means for holdingthe same in door latching position, outer manually operable means forpivotally actuating said detent means to disengage the same from saidlatch device means, said outer manually operable means including amember coupled to said detent means and shiftable from a detentactuating position to a detent non-actuating position on said detentmeans, a locking lever pivotally mounted on said support plate, meanscoupling said outer manually operable means member to said locking leverfor bodily shiftable movement thereby and for movement relativelythereto, and means operable to move said locking lever to shift saidouter manually operable means member on said detent means from detentmeans actuating position to detent means mon-actuating position, uponoperation of said outer manually operable means said member being movable relative to said locking lever when either in said detent meansactuating position or in said detent means non-actuating position, saiddetent means and latch device means having parts thereof adapted to abuteach other in unlatched position of the latter to thereby displace saiddetent means from its normal latch device means holding position, saiddetent means in displaced position having a second part thereof blockingmovement of said locking lever in a direction to place said outermanually operable means member in detent non-actuating position.

2. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support plate fordisposition at a free edge wall of the door, pivoted latch device meansmounted on said support plate for movement between door latched andunlatched positions, a detent pivotally mounted intermediate its ends onsaid support plate and having at one side of its pivot axis a partthereof engageable with a part of said latch device means for holdingthe same in door latched position, outer manually operable means forpivotally actuating said detent to disengage its said part from saidlatch device means, said outer manually operable means including amember coupled to said detent at the other side of said pivot axis, alocking lever means pivotally mounted on said support plate, meanscoupling said member to said locking lever means for bodily shiftablemovement thereby and for movement relatively thereto, said member beingshiftable by said locking lever means from a detent actuating to adetent nonactuating position on said detent, said part of said detentand a part of said latch device means being adapted to abut each otherin unlatched position of the latter to thereby displace said detent fromits normal latch device means holding position, said detent in displaced position having a second part thereof blocking movement of saidlocking lever means in a direction to place said outer manually operablemeans member in detent non-actuating position.

3. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a sup port having a mainplate portion for disposition at a ifree edge wall of the door, a pairof jaw elements pivotally mounted on one side of said plate portion forswinging movement about spaced axes perpendicular to the plane thereof,a pair of control members mounted on the opposite side of said plateportion, each control member being fixedly coupled to one of said jawelements for pivotal movement therewith, said control members havingintermeshed portions whereby said jaw elements are controlled formovement in unison toward and from each other to door latched and doorunlatched positions, respectively, at least one of said control membersbeing provided with detent engageable portions, detent means pivotallymounted on said plate portion and engageable with said detentengageatble portions for holding said jaw elements in door latchedposition, outer manually operable means mounted on said support forpivotally actuating said detent means to disengage the same from saiddetent engageable portions to permit movement of both jaw elements todoor unlatched position, said outer manually operable means including amember coupled to said detent means and shiftable from a detent meansactuating position to detent means non-actuating position on said detentmeans, a locking lever pivotally mounted on said main plate portion,means coupling said outer manually operable means member to said lockinglever for bodily shiftable movement thereby and for movement relativelythereto, and means operable to move said locking lever to shift saidouter manually operable means on said detent means from detent meansactuating to detent means non-actuating position, said outer manuallyoperable means member and said locking lever at all times being movablerelative to one another transversely of the direction of movement ofsaid outer manually operable means member between said detent meansactuating position and said detent means nonactuating position, said onecontrol member having a part thereof adapted to abut a part of saiddetent means in unlatched position of said jaw elements to therebydisplace said detent means from its normal holding position, said detentmeans in displaced position having a second part thereof blockingmovement of said locking lever in a direction to place said outermanually operable means in detent means nonactuating position.

4. In a latch meachanisrn for a swinging door, a sup-' the planethereof, a pair of control members mounted on the opposite side of saidplate portion, each control member being fixedly coupled to one of saidjaw elements for pivotal movement therewith, said control members havingintermeshed portions whereby said jaw elements are controlled formovement in unison toward and from each other to door latched and doorunlatched positions, respectively, at least one or said control membersbeing provided with a detent engage-able portion, a detent pivotallymounted on said support plate and having at one side of the pivot axisthereof an abutment engageable with said detent engageable portion forholding said jaw elements in door latched position, and outer manuallyoperable means mounted on said support for pivotally actuating saiddetent to disengage the same from said detent engageable portion topermit movement of both jaw cl ments to door unlatched position, abushing means, said bushing means projecting through a slot in saiddetent at the opposite side of said pivot axis thereof, said slot havinga first section extending radially and a second section extendingcircumferentially relative to said detent pivot axis, a link meanscoupling said outer manually operable means to said bushing means, saidlink means comprising a link having an end portion passing through thecenter of said bushing means, a locking lever pivotally mounted on saidsupport plate, said locking lever having a slotted end portioncircumferentially encompassing said bushing means, and means operable tomove said locking lever to shift said bushing means from said firstsection to said second section of said detent slot or vice versa, saidbushing means when positioned in said first section being operative totransmit movement of said outer manually operable means to said detentto actuate the same and when in said second section being freely movablerelative to said locking lever and on said detent without causingactuation of the latter, said bushing means and locking lever slottedportion at all times being movable relative to one another transverselyof the direction of movement of said bushing means between said radialand circumferential portions of said slot, said one control memberhaving a part thereof adapted to abut a part of said detent in unlatchedposition of said jaw elements to thereby d-isplace said detent from itsnormal holding position, said detent in displaced position having asecond part thereof blocking movement or" said locking lever in adirection to place said outer manually operable means member in detentnon-actuating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,236,702 Andersen Apr. 1, 1941 2,629,618 Roethel Feb. 24, 19532,728,214 Craig Dec. 27, 1955 2,782,062 Smith Feb. 19, 1957 2,916,318Van Voorhees Dec. 8, 1959 2,944,850 Roe-thel July 12, 1960 2,987,336Kramer June 6, 1961

1. IN A LATCH MECHANISM FOR A SWINGING DOOR, A SUPPORT PLATE FORDISPOSITION AT A FREE EDGE WALL OF THE DOOR, PIVOTED LATCH DEVICE MEANSMOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE, DETENT MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAIDSUPPORT PLATE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LATCH DEVICE MEANS FOR HOLDINGTHE SAME IN DOOR LATCHING POSITION, OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS FORPIVOTALLY ACTUATING SAID DETENT MEANS TO DISENGAGE THE SAME FROM SAIDLATCH DEVICE MEANS, SAID OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS INCLUDING AMEMBER COUPLED TO SAID DETENT MEANS AND SHIFTABLE FROM A DETENTACTUATING POSITION TO A DETENT NON-ACTUATING POSITION ON SAID DETENTMEANS, A LOCKING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE, MEANSCOUPLING SAID OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS MEMBER TO SAID LOCKING LEVERFOR BODILY SHIFTABLE MOVEMENT THEREBY AND FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVELYTHERETO, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID LOCKING LEVER TO SHIFT SAIDOUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS MEMBER ON SAID DETENT MEANS FROM DETENTMEANS ACTUATING POSITION TO DETENT MEANS NON-ACTUATING POSITION, UPONOPERATION OF SAID OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS SAID MEMBER BEINGMOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID LOCKING LEVER WHEN EITHER IN SAID DETENT MEANSACTUATING POSITION OR IN SAID DETENT MEANS NON-ACTUATING POSITION, SAIDDETENT MEANS AND LATCH DEVICE